How Does SEO Work?

SEO or Search Engine Optimisation is the key to open a portal of opportunities for your business (website). But have you. ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes for SEO to work? I am sure you might have a basic idea but thanks to the ever-changing game of SEO, it is always important to stay on top of how does the SEO works. In this post, we will help you deep dive into the various terms, steps, and processes of how the SEO works.

How Does the SEO Works: Explained

Search engines can respond to user searches with appropriate results due to the indexing work of web crawlers. Search engines use complex algorithms that take a variety of ranking variables into account to do this. Search engine optimisation (SEO) is the procedure used to increase a website's exposure in search results. It includes techniques like content optimisation and site structure. By coordinating a website with these algorithms, SEO tries to increase organic traffic, eventually improving its search engine rating.

Work-Flow diagram of SEO

For better understanding on working of SEO, we'll divide the whole mechanism into 4 phases namely:

1. Preprocessing Phase
2. Query Submission Phase
3. Improvement Phase
4. Feedback Phase

Now, let's take a closer and more detailed examination of these four phases to gain a better understanding on SEO.

1. Preprocessing Phase

A search engine has been hard at work to crawl, index, and rank the web long before a user types in a query. Due to the ongoing publication of new and updated content, this process is ongoing and never-ending.

In addition to crawling, indexing, and ranking, search engines also perform a number of other tasks before a user enters a query, such as:

Apart from crawling, indexing and ranking, before a user inputs a query, the search engine does a number of preparatory operations, including:

• Understanding the user's intent : Search engines continue to try to understand what users are trying to find with their queries. This is important in delivering the most appropriate results, even when the user's query is imprecise or lacking.
• Personalizing results : On the basis of the user's search history, location, and other variables, several search engines personalise the results. To give the user the most pertinent and practical results possible, this is done.
• Preventing spam : Search engines make an effort to lower the position of spammy websites in their results. This is done to make sure users have a good time and can quickly and easily access the information they want.

Google uses a variety of indicators to understand the user's intent, those indicator can be user's search history, location and content of user's query. Google calls this technique as "Query understanding". This helps user in searching a query.

2. Query Submission Phase

When a user input a query to search engine, following things happens:

• The search engine searches its index for pages that matches the query.
• The search engine ranks sites depending on a number of variables, including page content, website authority, and the user's location and search history.
• The search engine shows user the most relevant results.

3. Improvement Phase

The improvement phase in SEO is the process of analyzing user behavior and search engine results pages (SERPs) to analyse areas where a website needs improvement. This phase initiate after the user interaction, and it is important because it allows SEO professionals to improve the performance of their websites. Following thing happens after user interaction:

• Data collection: To determine how to optimise a website, SEO experts gather information on user behaviour and SERPs. Many other methods and resources, including Google Analytics, Google Search Console, and third parties, may be used to get this information.
• Analysis: Professionals in SEO examine the data once it has been gathered to look for trends and patterns. This study can assist in pinpointing both the website's strong points and its opportunities for development.
• Implementation: Professionals in SEO make adjustments to the website once the areas that need improvement have been determined. These alterations may be made to the website's content, design, or technological specifications.
• Monitoring: SEO experts keep an eye on the website's performance after the adjustments have been made to see how they have affected it. This monitoring can assist to make sure the modifications are having a beneficial effect and also reveal any areas that still require improvement.

4. Feedback Phase

Search engines are essential to our daily lives because they enable us to quickly and simply access the information we require. However, there is always opportunity for development and no search engine is flawless.

Feedback is an essential component for search engine optimisation. Users may help search engines offer better results to everyone by giving comments on the relevancy, quality, and utility of search results. Feedback is given on following factors:

• Keyword relevance: The degree to which a page's keywords match those that visitors are searching for.
• User behaviour: It is the way in which visitors engage with a website, including how long they remain on it, what they click, and whether they scroll to the bottom.
• Content's quality: It is determined by how well-written, educational, and interesting it is.
• Bounce rate: The proportion of visitors to a page that only stay for one page.
• Average session time: How long visitors typically stay on a website.
• Mobile Responsiveness: How effectively a website shows on mobile devices is known as mobile responsiveness.
• Page loading speed: The speed at which a page loads.
• Security (HTTPS): if an HTTPS connection is safe on a certain website.
• Information's relevance and accuracy: How accurate and relevant the information on a page is.
• Backlinks: The volume of inbound links from other websites to a certain website.

Why is SEO Important?

Before diving into the hows' of SEO, lets have a quick walkaround on Why is it important to know how does the SEO works:

1. Increase website traffic: Your website is more likely to be viewed by potential buyers when it ranks higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). This can increase website traffic, which might increase leads and purchases on your website.

2. Improve brand awareness: Potential clients are more likely to see your brand when your website is ranked higher in SERPs. This can aid in boosting brand recognition and enhance the likelihood that potential clients will select your goods or services over those of your rivals.

3. Build trust and authority: When your website ranks better in SERPs, it communicates to potential buyers that it is trustworthy and authoritative. This increases the likelihood that potential clients will conduct business with you.

4. Generate leads and sales: You can draw people who are already interested in what you have to offer if your website is properly optimised.

Important Terms Associated with SEO:

1.Search Engine Crawler: Search Engines Crawler are programs that helps in finding information on the internet. They crawl the web, by visiting and indexing all the publicly accessible webpages. A page can be found by people who conduct relevant keyword searches once it has been indexed.

2.Keyword: The foundation of SEO, keywords guides on-page optimisation, user interaction, and content production. For better search engine results and to provide consumers with useful material, a well-researched and properly implemented keyword strategy is crucial.

3.Indexing: It is the procedure used to catalogue web pages and make them searchable by search engines like Google. It entails collecting, analysing, and storing data from websites in order to provide consumers with pertinent results when they perform certain searches. In order for online material to appear in search engine results pages (SERPs), indexing is a critical step.

4.Ranking: Search engines rank search results based on a range of variables, including the content of web sites, keywords used on the pages, and connections to and from the pages. The purpose of ranking is to provide users with the most relevant results.

5.Searching: Users may use search engines to find information on the internet by entering keywords. The search engine will then produce a list of results ranked by their relevance to the search query.

What are Important SEO Factors?

The most crucial SEO factor is the quality of your content. Search engines favour websites with high-quality content because they strive to offer visitors the most relevant and helpful results possible. This suggest that your content is clear, concise and relevant. Additionally, it must be pertinent to both your target market and the keywords you are focusing on.

Important SEO factors include:

1. Keyword optimization: You have to use target keywords throughout your content, including in the title, meta description, heading tags, and body text. However, it is important to avoid keyword stuffing, which is the practice of using keywords excessively and unnaturally.
2. Link building: Search engines use backlinks from high-quality websites as an indication that your website is reliable and authoritative. High-quality content creation, guest blogging, and placing your website in directories and listings are all effective ways to increase backlinks.
3. Website structure and navigation:Your website should be well organised and simple to use. This will help search engine to crawl and index website easily
4. Technical SEO: The technical components of your website that might impact your results, including as site speed, mobile friendliness, and structured data, are referred to as technical SEO. Make sure your website uses organised data, is quick, and is accessible from mobile devices.

SEO Best practices

• Understand user intent by researching target keywords.
• Be patient; SEO results don't happen overnight.
• Focus on consistently delivering high-quality content.
• Maintain and update evergreen content regularly.
• Monitor and analyze website traffic for insights and improvements.

Conclusion

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is the key to improving your website's visibility on Google. It involves understanding user intent, creating quality content, and monitoring performance. SEO is an timetaking process that requires patience and dedication. Because people' search behaviours are changing and search engines are continually improving their algorithms, SEO is an ongoing activity. To guarantee that you are still showing up effectively for the keywords that are significant to you, you must frequently analyse your SEO approach and make adjustments.